Sweet Stampede August Blog Hop ~ Card Sketch

August 01, 2025

Hello Friends and Happy August,

Or as I like to call it... 'Autumn Eve, Month', the month before the 'ber months

*September, October, November and December.

My favorite time of the year!!!!

Our Sweet Stampede Blog Hop this month features this card sketch layout.

At first glance, I saw MANY layers, using a LOT of cardstock.

However, I took a little different approach to create my 'layers'.

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Spooky Halloween ~ Banner Front Card

In case you're wondering...... yes, it's AUGUST and no, it's never too early for Halloween. Well, last month would have been 'too early' for Halloween. However, as crafters we need to plan our holiday projects almost a season ahead of everyone else. Especially as card makers!

It's Autumn Eve people!!! We need to get our 'Boo' on...... and now!!!

Just look at these sweet 'trick or treaters'. How can you tell them that it's "too early for Halloween"?! This simple multi'ish layered card begins with Petunia Pop cardstock and features the Online Exclusive, 'Spooky Sweet Suite Collection'. Go grab yourself a piece of candy to help get yourself in the 'mood' and then let's dive a little deeper into the makings of my card.

Card Base:

- Petunia Pop card base 4-1/4" x 8-1/2", scored in half at 5-1/2". Petunia Pop layer 4-1/8" x 5-3/8" *lightly sponged around all four side with Basic Gray (I was trying for the illusion of another layer)

- Basic Black layer cut from the Perennial Postage Dies *scored about 1/8" in on all four side (hoping to add the appearance of yet another layer or slight element of interest)

- Using the fun Party Banner Dies, cut a single scenery pattern from the Spooky Sweet DSP

- I cut the 'pretty' bat in Petunia Pop from the 2024-2026 In Color Glimmer Specialty Paper, using the bat 'tab' die from the Spooky Halloween Dies. I cut the top portion off and glued it to the back of the upper left corner of the scenery piece. Adhere this banner piece flat to the card front.

- Stamp, color and cut the two characters from the Spooky Halloween Stamp Set. I used a combination of Stampin' Blends and a few watercolor pencils. *use what you have :-)

- Adhere to the scenery piece, popped up with dimensionals.

For the greeting:

- I stamped the greeting in VersaMark and heat embossed with white embossing powder. I then cut the words apart before adhering them to the card front.

After one more glance at the card sketch, I see I'm in need of a third element for the front of the card. Hmmmmm, thinking thinking...... most every Halloween scene needs a MOON.

- I cut a small circle from Crushed Curry card stock using my 'retired' 1" Circle Punch *use what you have. I then stamped the bats in Momento Black and lightly sponged the edges with the same. Abracadabra, we have my 3rd element..........a moon tucked slightly behind one of the trick or treaters.

- Bling.......following the sketch placement, I added a few Shimmer Star Foam Stickers.

Inside: the fun continues....

- Using the Perennial Postage Dies once more, I cut the inside layer from the 'B' side of the Spooky Sweet DSP along with a 1-1/2" strip of a different pattern, adhered to the left-hand side, stamped a few bats in the upper right corner and the card is complete.

Here's one more look at my completed card in comparison to our assigned card sketch.

What do you think? It's not an exact copy of the sketch.....but then again it doesn't HAVE to be. Sketches are used as 'inspiration', as sort of a starting point.